Belarus Conducts Joint Training with Wagner Mercenaries near Polish Border

Mercenaries from Russia's Wagner Group have begun training Belarusian special forces near the border with Poland, according to the Belarusian defense ministry. The training is taking place at a military range just 3 miles east of the Polish border. Poland has recently deployed over 1,000 troops to its eastern border amid concerns that the presence of Wagner fighters in Belarus could escalate tensions. Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin welcomed his fighters to Belarus in a video, instructing them to gather their strength for Africa while training the Belarusian army. A senior commander claims that up to 10,000 Wagner fighters will be in Belarus, while another Russian lawmaker suggests that 33,000 fighters have signed contracts with the Russian defense ministry.